Press Release of September 29, 2020
Shown top row, left to right: Tina Fey, Danie Ocean, Fran Brill, and Cheri Oteri; second row, left to right: Vince Papale, Monica Horan, Dan Connor, and Jahlil Beats.
What do Tina Fey, Cheri Oteri, Jahlil Beats, Monica Horan, Fran Brill, Matthew Ryan, Dan Connor, Danie Ocean, and Vince Papale have in common? They all hail from Delaware County originally, and they all will be contributing their talent and star power to the first-ever Literacy Is Essential Telethon in support of Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC). Clearly these Delco luminaries understand that helping adults improve their literacy skills, learn English, earn GEDs, and get family-sustaining jobs is needed now more than ever.
The Literacy Is Essential Telethon is a free online celebration of adult literacy that will take place Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at 8:00 pm EDT. Anyone interested in attending can view the Telethon by visiting bit.ly/LE-Oct21 on October 21. The same link also provides a video preview and more details about the event.
The Telethon will honor the 2020 Champions of Adult Literacy, all of whom have furthered the cause of adult literacy in Delaware County. Awards will be presented to Student Champion Maria Torres, Community Champion Jonathan Abdur Rahim King, and Hometown Hero Champion the Delaware County Citizen Corps.
To celebrate these deserving Champions and to raise funds in support of DCLC’s free literacy services, Delco celebrities and community leaders will be performing and sharing messages of support. The event also will be a great opportunity to learn about the depth and generosity of talent from Delco.
While most people are already fans of Tina Fey, Cheri Oteri, and Vince Papale, they may not know Fran Brill, a puppeteer who grew up in Wallingford and who is responsible for the groundbreaking Muppets Prairie Dawn and Zoe on Sesame Street. Recording artists Matthew Ryan and Danie Ocean are both from Chester, and both will be performing during the Telethon. Learn about more special guests at bit.ly/LE-Oct21. DCLC invites all who care about adult literacy and who are proud to live in Delaware County to attend!
The Telethon is generously supported by Major Sponsors Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union and Harrah’s Philadelphia and Supporting Sponsors Sun East Federal Credit Union and White Horse Village, along with many other generous community members.
The Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) helps adults develop reading, writing, math, and English language skills so that these adults can thrive in the workplace and community. To learn more or to get involved, visit www.delcoliteracy.org.